Under the Trees (1902) – by Hamilton Wright Mabie, illustrated by C.L. Hinton

This charming 1902 collection of nature-inspired stories and essays by American author Hamilton Wright Mabie is beautifully complemented by the delicate illustrations of C.L. Hinton. Published by Dodd, Mead & Company in New York, Under the Trees evokes the tranquility and wonder of the natural world through Mabie’s lyrical prose and Hinton’s evocative artwork. The illustrations—softly rendered in pen-and-ink with occasional tonal plates—depict idyllic forest scenes, playful animals, and children immersed in rustic adventures, perfectly capturing the book’s themes of outdoor wonder and childhood imagination.

About the Illustrator
Charles Livingston Hinton (1854–1933) was an American artist known for his contributions to children’s literature and magazine illustration during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His style, influenced by the burgeoning Arts and Crafts movement, blended realistic detail with a gentle, romantic sensibility. Though less famous than contemporaries like Howard Pyle or Jessie Willcox Smith, Hinton’s work graced numerous books and periodicals, including St. Nicholas Magazine, where his nature scenes and domestic vignettes charmed young readers.

Recommended for Collectors

• The Secret Garden (1911) by Frances Hodgson Burnett, illustrated by Charles Robinson – For another early 20th-century celebration of nature’s magic
• Woodland Tales (1921) by Ernest Thompson Seton – For more nature stories with a similar rustic spirit
• Among the Meadow People (1897) by Clara Dillingham Pierson, illustrated by F.C. Gordon – A comparable pastoral children’s classic

Art Gallery: C.L. Hinton – Under the Trees 1902